Google Search app for iOS updated to v2.5, brings competition to Siri with new voice search features

Apple’s Siri has some serious competition. Google has just updated their Google Search for iOS to version 2.5 (compatible on iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch). One of the big updates brings the ability to “Simply say what you want and get results without typing.” I updated the app and the voice search is incredibly responsive. Every word that I spoke was correctly relayed and all responses came back with accuracy. I tried the weather, movie times, directions, and local coffee shops.

While this is funny, not sure why Apple customers would want to use it. Siri is centralized and can grab information from everywhere in their device and can tie the information better. Even Google Now does too. This search update makes a little bit less sense except to search for items on Google itself…

I do find it a bit frustrating that the latest google voice search technology is now available on iOS, but not on Android 4.0 and down…

BC

But it’s always done that… I still have version 2.0.1.10455 on my iPad and it answers the exact same voice question in the exact same way… Maybe it can answer other questions it couldn’t answer before. Good to at least see Google promoting this feature.

pkosta

yeah but it talks back to you now it couldn’t before

inside operation

lol google beating them from the inside

Henry

To be fair. Google Search and SIRI are both good.Google Search is quick and get to the point. Siri is a bit slower and takes a bit to figure out what to do but Siri understand normal speech.

ie: “What is the weather in Toronto?” Google Search and Siri will get you the same answer but if you continue and ask “how about Edmonton?” Google Search would do a search on “how about Edmonton?” while SIRI will get you the Edmonton weather.

KM

Yep, I agree. Neither is perfect but they’re both pretty good. Whether you’re in the Android camp or iOS camp (or neither), you have to be impressed by the AI and related technologies in both offerings.

Google is more limited in functionality, especially on iOS (because it doesn’t integrate with your mail, calendar, messaging, notes, reminders, maps/navi, music, contacts, clock/alarms, find my friends, etc, etc), but its voice sounds much more “human”. It’s also good at deducing an answer from Google search or Wikipedia results; whereas Siri relies on Wolfram Alpha’s engine which is expansive but not as good at guessing.

Siri’s voice is robotic, by comparison. It’s also slower. But it has way more functionality and integration on iOS. Its natural language and context awareness also makes it easier to use (it’s like you’re talking to a human). It does what it’s supposed to do very well.

It’s times like these that I wished the two companies were friends and they merged the two services together…

Harry

I agree with @Henry the AI in siri is unmatched with any other voice search. While the speed of google search is very precise and quick.

Jksl

This is great. Now I have a voice assistant on my ipad2. I don’t know why apple wouldn’t just let us have Siri.

Carlo

Jksl: Did you notice the iPad Mini has Siri but the iPad2 which has the same internals does not. Grrrrr

Alex

You can even ask to play music and it will forward to TuneIn, Music plays, Youtube.

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